What is your Soul and what is your Spirit?

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Permalink Reply by Daniel Andrew Young on May 25, 2009 at 2:51pm

Hi, Jeren! I don't often see much in the way of "Life's Big Questions," or spiritual discussions on Smaller Indiana, but I'm very interested in this topic. Have you ever visited "Beliefnet.com"? I have journal essays posted there under the username "realmystic." I have more of a Yoga-Hindu-Buddhist outlook than most (Christian) Americans do. But for me, the soul is consciousness of individual identity (my soul or your soul), while Spirit is a powerful energy that we may experience but does not belong to us. It is a gift from God, from the Spirit realm, as an expression of both God's love and Universal Consciousness. Spirit is the transmission medium between God and the souls of the Beloved of God, the Blessed, the Chosen. There are people who are truly blessed, who know God's love within themselves and are grateful, every minute of every day. Anyone could experience it, if they sincerely wished, prayed or asked the Universe for Knowledge of the Truth. We all have the potential to become aware of that level of Consciousness, but not everyone seeks it or asks for it to be revealed. So maybe the dichotomy is really between the mortal, temporal soul, subject to all the illusions of the so-called real world, and the spiritually self-aware soul with an internal connection to the eternal, infinite sea of Divine Consciousness. It's not a matter of belonging to the right religion or the wrong religions or no religion, it's just a difference between being asleep or inattentive, vs. being attentive and aware and awake to a reality that's just over our heads if we think this world is the ultimate reality. PEACE

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Permalink Reply by Jeren Touch-Werner on May 25, 2009 at 4:56pm

This is terrific answer, Daniel, Thank you! Somehow it made me remember how one lady by the name Betsy has answered my question. She said: "Soul - is what is inside me"; and her hands went to her heart in her chest; and then she said: "And spirit is what you have a lot of". Smile. One other lady, a successful businesswoman Helen, said: "A soul is what I have; and the spirit - is what I see in others". I asked her: "But if you see the Spirit in others it means that the others see Spirit in you, right?" And somehow she would just not agree to that.

I believe that Soul and Spirit not only are the "heavenly applications"; but also have a real sense in making up our everyday lives, like affecting the state of our health even. So, I commit myself to rereading your post not once and answering it from a philosophical standpoint, at a later time. Right now I would like patiently wait and see what else transpires in the valley's of Smaller Indiana, some down to earth answers; What is your Soul? What is your Spirit?

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Permalink Reply by Brian Morgan on May 26, 2009 at 11:33pm

From experience I really believe that the "real" connection to "God" comes through a dynamic & practice / experience with what I would term the "Spirit" (or "Holy Spirit"). I would also say, from experience, that a totally new dimension of Life opens up and becomes very important "if and when" a person experiences the "Spirit" - meaning that those that have not experienced this, are not ( even ) aware / conscious of it; thus they do not participate in this new dimension of Life.

I like to think that we all deal with Life based on our own level of awareness or consciousness; which to me means that some will experience this, some won't experience this, and I guess some may pass in and out & in and out of this experience.

And from my experience; it's very difficult to "sell" a person a "product" if they don't have the awareness or consciousness to know, believe, or conceive in it's value and benefits. Which as a new christian, many years ago, I found very upsetting; since my belief at that time was that "the Spirit" was thee real reason for Life & Living.

I always have to remember to "try" to be humble or have some level of humility simply due to the belief that "we are all at a different level of awareness & I can never really be in someone else's shoes - experience."

- Thanks for the ideas & posts...
- Brian Morgan

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Permalink Reply by Brian Morgan on May 26, 2009 at 11:48pm

Soul (as mentioned above in your post) seems the individual piece (the individual's energies that connect to the Spirit) and Spirit seems like a larger dynamic or system within a different dimension / consciousness.

Consciousness by Wikipedia: Click> Consciousness

Level of Consciousness by Wikipedia: Click> Level of Consciousness

Cognition by Wikipedia: Click> Cognition

- Brian Morgan

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Permalink Reply by Jeren Touch-Werner on May 28, 2009 at 12:18am

My Spirit is TRULY growing my Wings. My soul is out of "Light & Dark night" of 14 years! More to come. Good Night, all the beloved people of the Smoosier Land!

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Permalink Reply by Jeren Touch-Werner on May 28, 2009 at 12:22am

Oh, and one more thing. Out of the "frankness" territory. This what came out of my mouth today: "Spirit will be my Partner. And LIFE will be my Soul-Mate".

and once again,
What is your Soul? What is your Spirit?

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Permalink Reply by David Mark on May 28, 2009 at 6:25pm

What an intense question! My authentic spirit is a reflection of my soul. It's feedback. When I'm in the zone, it means my spirit and soul are one. When my edges (spirit) are jagged, my spirit is telling lies while my soul remains in integrity, smooth and always prevailing. In translation: My soul is rock solid and was defined from conception. It represents everything right and just. Essentially, it is just right ;). It's the foundation for why I'm ultimately here - to serve with love. My spirit, if allowed, can sway with the wind forming invented emotions (in)appropriate for the moment. This causes the jagged edge effect. It's like oil and water. When my spirit is down my soul provides great feedback and when I'm happy likewise. My soul tells me things aren't so bad afterall, to keep things in perspective and to remain humble upon creating success. My soul cannot be persuaded to change. My soul is the essence of who I am. My soul is a miracle only dampened by my unwillingness to shine, or by choosing a sour (inauthentic) spirit.

My soul is perfect an profound. It provides all the answers I'll ever need and they were there from the beginning. The rub is I spend my life searching for them the hard way which, in turn, builds character. That's what "ah ha" moments are - your soul revealing to you what was always there deep inside, euphorically prepared to deliver the promise upon your acceptance ("When the student is ready..."). My soul is the one constant being in this universe. My spirit relies on my soul. Without a soul there is no spirit, no life. In order for your soul to reveal itself in all its glory, your spirit must first (severely) break. This requires painful lessons along with moments of bliss. Like the devil and God almighty, your soul and spirit rely on each other to serve a grand purpose - to reveal The Truth (To Serve w/ Unconditional Love and Pure Forgiveness).

Think: Michelangelo's 'David'. The marble had to be painfully chipped away before his soul (both David and Michelangelo) was revealed. However, I'd like to think he stopped and smiled, cried and prayed along the way because parts of their souls were revealed with each blow to the marble. Perfect. Just perfect.

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Permalink Reply by Jeren Touch-Werner on May 30, 2009 at 7:37am

Dear David Mark, Gary Blake, Brian Morgan and Daniel Andrew Young!

I am TRULY HONORED with all of your responses! It is going to be true and sheer intellectual fun in an attempt to find a common a ground and integrate all these responses. Meanwhile I would like to share with you one answer I got through Facebook:

"It seems the soul is in the basement, the ancestors as it were. The Spirit, that uplifting pull drawing us, like moths, to the light. The Soul the egg from which the Spirit is born."

Any other courageous men or Ladies accepting the challenge of this "Intense" Question?

What is your Soul?
What is your Spirit?

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Permalink Reply by Jeren Touch-Werner on June 14, 2009 at 10:45pm

Hi Everyone,
I have had some interesting correspondence on this matter outside of SI. I also was soooo busy, moving my business place now to West Carmel after 10 years of being comfortably nested in the euphoric Blue Swan Studio in the back of my home. So, Someone sent me a quote today: "Jesus said 'we must learn to hate our own soul". And there was a interesting development of this thought as well. My question to you: Is there such quote for real? Where in from?

and as always:

What is you Soul?
What is your Spirit?

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